New name, new look, (maybe a) new ballpark… new post?!

A lot can happen in five months. Though to be honest I can hardly believe its been that long since I last wrote something on here. But then you know how it goes, if its not one thing then its another. And since that last post, I have moved about 300 miles from home, gotten a new job, a new flat, and, perhaps most surprisingly, a new country. Ok, so its only Scotland, its not like I have to learn a new language or anything (well, kind of…), but still, its been a kind of crazy few months.

It also says a lot for my organisational skills that, even after being up here for three months, I still haven’t set up the internet at home. Which means that I haven’t watched any baseball (bar a couple of games on UK tv) since I moved. But, I have been keeping up to date with what’s what, and will shortly be getting re-connected to the old information super-highway (how long is it since you’ve heard that phrase?!), so I figured now is as good a time as any to get re-blogging…

And what a lot there is to blog about. Even putting aside the actual baseball – which I’m sure I will address at some point – many changes have been happening in Rays-World.

Not least of which is the fact that we are now Devil-less. Ok, not the most earth-moving or indeed surprising news ever, but a new name is a new name, and we are now the Tampa Bay Rays. Doesn’t quite roll as well as Devil Rays in my mind, but it certainly could be worse.

Then there is the new uniforms. And I think I speak for most Rays fans when I say that my opinion of them is – meh. That seems to be the most accurate way to describe them. They’re not horrible by any means, but they’re not outstanding either. I definitely preferred the old green ones, far more distinctive, especially the top class green alternate jersey. But blue and white we are now, and I’m sure we’ll get used to it. I am pleased to see that the (Devil?) Ray remains as a sleeve patch – probably unlike many, I was always a big fan of that partiular part of the logo.

Next up, plans have apparently been drawn up for a new stadium for the Rays – just down the road from the Trop, on the site of Al Lang field, long time spring training base for the D-Rays. No images yet, but I have read it will be open-air with a sail-like cover for the seats and field. It’ll be squeezed into a tiny site on the waterfront, and will apparently offer the chance for San Fran-like splash-homers. Fun. More details here and here.

Finally (for now at least), logging on here for the first time in months, I was expecting to be greeted with new templates for the Rays. Well, where are they? Not that I’m in any hurry to change!

Right, well I’m off to find out what else has been going on round here since I’ve been away…